Improvement in machines for packing, wrappins, and labeling tobacco



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Machines for Packing, Wrapping; and Labeling Tobacco. N0. 143,545,Patented Oct. 7,1873.

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Patented Oct-J, 1873. I

No. 143,545, g

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1. H. TRU W-BRIDG'E. Machines for'Pgcking, Wra-p-ping and LabelingTobacco.

Patented Oct. 7,1873.

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u. TimwBmuaE. Machines for Packing, Wrapping, and Labeling Tobacco.

Patented Oct. 7,1873.

AM PHOTM/THUGRdPH/L Co. Ni (assaRr/rs mflcss) 6 -Shets--She et 6..

3. H. THU WBR I'DGE'.

Machines for Packingjwrapping, an

Patented Oct. 7,1873.

d Laheiing Tabasco.

UNITED STATES @rrrcn.

JOHN H. TROWBRIDGE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR PACKING. WRAPPINGI AND LABELING TOBACCO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,545, dated October7, 1873; application filed October 8, 1872.

specification My invention consists of certain improvements in andadditions to the machine for packing fine-cut tobacco and othersubstances into wrappers for which Letters Patent were granted to me onthe 1st day of February, A. D. 187 0; and the object of my invention issimilar to that described in said 'patentnamely, to enable fine-cuttobacco and other substances to be measured, fed, and packed intoprinted, or printed and stamped, wrappers, which may beprinted, cut, andfed by mechanism co-operating with the packing mechanism by a 0011-tinuous automatic operation, the packages to be of any desired shape,and exact and even as regards the quantity and weight of the materialpacked. V

Figure 1, Sheet A, isa plan or top view of a machine embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, Sheet B, a sectional elevation of the same on theline .90 a), Fig. 1; Fig. 3, Sheet C, an end elevation of the machineFigs. 4 and 5, Sheet D, transverse sections of the machine, showing thewrappers in position for folding, and partially folded; Fig. 6, Sheet E,a transverse section on the line 0 0, Fig. 1, drawn to an enlargedscale, and showing the knives for forming the top folds of the wrapper;Fig. 7, Sheet D, a transverse section on the line A D, Fig. 1, showingthe knives for folding the wrappers at one end; Fig. 8, Sheet D, atransverse section on the line A B, Fig. 1, showing the knives forfolding the wrappers at'the opposite end; Fig. 9, Sheet E, an enlargedtransverse section of the carrying and feeding 'trough with themeasuring-combs, taken on the line W WV, Fig. 1; Fig. 10, Sheet E, aplan view of the print ing-press, wrapper-sheet-ieeding device, andcutting-knives; Fig. 11, Sheet F, an elevation of the same, showing thedevice for supplying the revenue-stamps Fig. 12, Sheet F, a transversesectional elevation of Fig. 11 on the line D H; Fig. 13, Sheet F, atransverse section of Fig. 11 on the line D H, viewed from a sideopposite that shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 14, Sheet F, a longitudinalsectional elevation 011 the line Y Y, Fig. 11; Figs. 15 and 16, Sheet E,detached views, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the device for deliveringthe sheets for wrap pers to the printing-press and-Fig. 17, Sheet F, aperspective view of the complete printed and stamped package as itappears when discharged from the machine.

A is the frame or bed of the machine, which may be fastened to a benchor stand in any suitable manner. In bearings at one side of this frameturns the main driving or crank shaft B, which is provided at one endwith a suitable driving pulley or pulleys. A table, C, for receiving aquantity of tobacco to be fed to the machine, is securely attached toone end of the bed A. Extending partly over this table, and parallelwith the shaft B, is a carrying-trough, E, composed of a flangebox, E,open at the top, and of three endless belts or bands, 0 c and 6 Theseendless belts or bands may be made of leather, cloth, or rubber. Theyare arranged to operate within the flangebox E, as shown in Fig. 9, andare passed around pulleys e e e e and 0 0 The latter are gearedtogether, as best observed in Fig. 1, and derive their motion from acam, 1, on the main shaft, through the medium of a lever, d, rack (1 andcog-wheel (1 The pulleys are turned and the endless bands moved forwarda given distance at each revolution of the main shaft, the extent ofthis movement being determined by the lever and rack, made adjustablefor the purpose. D111- ing the reverse motion of the rack (l andcogwheel (1 the carrying-belts are held atrest and in place by a pawland ratchet. The belts forming the carrying-trough can be readilytightened when they become loose by means of set-screws 30, Figs. 2 and3; and, after tightening, they can be held in place by nuts 31, whichslide in a groove in the movable bed 32, to which are secured thebearings of the pulleys e c and 6 at the right-hand end of thecarrying-trough. The nuts 31 also serve to fasten the adjustable bedfirmly to the bed of the machine. Two rollers, D and D, are arrangedabove and extend slightly into the carrying-trough, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, for the purpose'described hereafter. Adjacent to these rollersare two combs or separators, F and F, Figs. 2 and 9, operating ashereafter described, to separate and measure the quantity of tobacco tobe placed in each package. The comb or separatorF has simply arising-tnd-falling motion on the carryingtrough E, which motion isimparted by the cam 2 on the main shaft, through the medium of a lever,(1 to which the comb is affixed, and the latter is securely held inposition by ways or guides attached to the flange-box E. The comb F hasalso a falling motion in'the carrying-trough in the same time as thecomb F, this motion being imparted to it by a cam, 3, on the main shaftand lever (1 Fig. 1. The comb F has also a forward motion through thetrough to the position shown by the line 2 z in Fig. 2, imparted by thesame cam 3 and a lever, (1 and after reaching this point the said combis lifted and carried back to its original position by the said cam andlevers. A slide or cover, I), of the entire width of thecarrying-trough, and arranged directly above the latter, is secured tothe carriage of the comb F, and moves forward with the same, passingbeneath a stationary cover, I), which is rigidly and permanentlyattached to the top of the flange-box E. (See Fi 2.) At the front end ofthe carrying-trough E, and on line with the same, is a folding-bed, I,Figs. 2, 4, and 6, open at the top and at its opposite ends, and adaptedfor the reception of a forming-case, H, which, as hereafter described,receives the charge of tobacco from the carrying-trough. This case H isa device for giving form to the package of tobacco, and is of the samesize as the said package, except that it is of somewhat greater length.It is constructed of very thin yet strong sheetbrass or other metal; isopen at both ends, and is held in position to receive the charge oftobacco from the carrying-trough by means of vertical rods to a. (SeeFigs. 2, 3, 4, and 5.) These rods to a pass through a carrier, K, whichslides on guide-frames J J secured to the bed of the machine; and thesaid rods have a vertical sliding movement through this carrier,imparted to them bya lever, g, and cam 5 on the main. shaft. The carrierK has also a sliding movement imparted to it by the same cam 5 and alever, 1 sufiicient to wholly or partially introduce the elevatedforming-case H into a fixed receiving-box, M, as hereafter described. Inaddition to the above parts of the ma chine proper, there are twopliuigers, G and L, and two sets of folding-blades, h, h 7L2, k h, andIf, and m, m m and m arranged close to the adjacent ends of the folding-plate I and receiving-box M, and operated by levers and cams on themain shaft, in the manner hereafter described. (See Figs. 2,7, and 8.)The plunger G is arranged above the carrying-- trough E, so as to bedropped into the latter, between the plates 1) and b, by the action of alever, (1 and cam 4 on the main shaft, and so as also to be movedforward through the said trough and into the case H by the same cam anda lever, d, and be afterward raised and retracted to its first position,passing over the plate 0 during the latter movement. (See Figs. 1 and2.) The plates or covers h and L have central longitudinal openings forthe admission and passage of the operating-arm of the plunger G, and thereceiving and forming case H has also a narrow longitudinal slit at thetop, extending throughout its entire length,

for the passage of the operating-arms of both of the plungers G and L.The plunger L, Fi 2, is arranged to be depressed to a position in linewith the rear end of the case H by the action of a cam, 10, on a lever,g and to be moved forward through the said case by the action of a cam,11, and lever g on a carrier, N, adapted to the guides J, and to whichthe said plunger is attached, the latter, by these movements, forcingthe tobacco from the case H into the box M, and compressing it in thelatter, as hereafter described.

The operation of the above-described portion of the machine is asfollows: A quantity of tobacco is deposited upon the table 0, and is fedby hand into the carrying-trough E, which the attendant keeps evenlyfilled, and by which the tobacco is carried forward at stated intervalsto the separating, measuring, and forming devices.

In place of the table 0, the hopper and feeding device described andshown in my aforesaid Letters Patent of February 1, 1870, may be used;but I prefer in the present instance to feed the tobacco by hand, asabove described.

At each revolution of the cam-shaft the carrier-trough is moved forward,by the devices before described, the length of a package of tobacco, orto such a distance as may be necessary to obtain the quantity of tobaccodesired; but the said trough remains at rest dur ing the reversemovement of the operating devices.

The trough E, besides serving as a carrier,

density, as it is carried forward in the trough,

by passing under the rollers D and D, Fig. 2. An inclined plate or afourth endless band may be substituted for the rollers; but in packingtobacco the latter have proved sufficient and are preferable. In eithercase the reduction of the mass is efiected more gradually than when asingle roller is used, as heretofore. The combs F and F serve toseparate and measure the tobacco, and are both depressed simultaneouslyand pass through the tobacco to the bottom of the carrying-trough. Thecomb F is then caused to move forward, and pushes a quantity of thetobacco (sufficient to make a package of the required size) before it tothe point indicated by the line 2: z in Fig. 2. During this movement ofthe comb F the covers 6 and I) prevent the tobacco from 4 escaping abovethe top ofthe carrying-trough.

After reaching the point Z the comb F is lifted from the trough andreturned to its former porying-trough moves forward, carrying afreshsupply of tobacco. The carrying trough at this point also movesforward the charge of tobacco. previously separated and carried forwardby the comb F, and partially delivers the same into the receivingandforming case H, now contained within the folding-bed I, in line withthe carrying-trough, and with its top flush with the upper edges of thesaid foldin gbed. Prior to the above movement, and while the receivingand forming case H was elevated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4., a sheet ofprinted foil and a sheet of paper to form a wrapper for the tobacco weredrawn from a printingpress, arranged at one side of the machine andfully described hereafter, by sliding nippers c 0, 0perated by a bar, I,and cam 18 on the main shaft, and were carried by the said nippersacross the top of the folding-bed I, as shown in Fig. 4, and depositedthereon in a position ready for folding. The jaws of the nippers werethen permitted to spring open, so as to release the wrapper-sheets,owing to the striking and lifting of a small retaining-arm, 0 on thenippers by a fixed stud on the machine. (See Fig. 5.) The receiving andforming case H was then, by action of its lever g and the cam 5, droppedinto the folding-bed I, carrying with it and depressing thewrapper-sheets previously depos' ited on the said folding-bed, thisforming the bottom and side folds of the wrapper, as plainly shown inFig. The folding-knives h and h (see Fig. 6) then, in turn, completedthe top folds, by carrying down onto the top of the receiving andforming case the sides of the wrapper-sheets left projecting above thecase and bed I, as shown in Fig. 6. The foldingknife 7L2, Fig. 7, thendescended and made the first end fold; the knives h and h next formedthe side folds, and the knife h? then turned up the lower or last endfold, and thus completed the folding of the front or left-hand end ofthe package. These several folding-knives are operated in the propertime by the action of cams 6, 7, 8, and 9 on the levers to which theknives are attached. After thus lowering the forming-case, folding'thewrapper over the same,

ing.

above movements of the folding-knives and plunger G the carrying-troughremains at rest. While the charge of tobacco is passing into the formingcase the folding-knife h Fig. 6, remains in position on top of the case,holding the wrapper-sheet firmly and smoothly, and the folding-knife 7L5also remains. in position after folding the sheet at the end of thecase, until the plunger G has finished the delivery of the charge oftobacco and is retracted. The wrapper sheets being now folded about theforming-case and at one end, and the cherge of tobacco introduced intothe case from the carrying trough, as before described, theforming-case, with its contents and wrapper, is lifted from' the bed Iby the action of the cam 5 and lever g, and is then, with the carriage7c, and by the same cam and the lever 1 carried forward to a positionopposite the hollow receiving-box M, as seen plainly in ;2'. As

soon as the case H has been moved to tli-isposition at the rear of theboX M, the plunger L is, by action of the cam 10 on its lever g droppedinto position behind the said case. The carrier N, which carries theplunger, is then moved forward by means of its lever and cam, causingthe said plunger to enter the rear or right-hand end of the case, thisforward movement being continued until the plunger passes entirelythrough the case, and forces from the same the charge of tobacco, aswell as the wrapper folded on the outside oft-he said case. As theplunger moves forward the formingcase H commences the return movement,and thus assists the plunger in deliverin the wrapper and its contentsto the box M. As the partially-completed package is thus forced from theformin g-case H, it enters the boX M, and is compressed to any desireddegree within the latter by the plunger L, the extent of the movement ofthe latter being made adjustable for this purpose. The plunger isthenfretracted to its first position, leaving the rear or open end ofthe package projecting from the box M, and in a position ready for fold-The folding-knife m,:Figs. 2 and 8, is attached to the carriage N of theplunger L, and moves back as the latter is retracted, until it reaches aposition directly over the rear end of the box M. It is then, by actionof the cam 12 on the lever g lowered down past the end of the said boxM, carrying with it the projecting ends of the wrapper, it being thenmoved laterally close up to the end of the box. This knife m should bemade of very thin sheet steel, as the other three folds of the wrapperare folded and shaped upon it. After the end of the box M is providedwith a door, 0, which is opened by a cam, 15, and lever 9, when thecompleted package is being forced out of the box by the entrance of asucceeding package. As soon as the completed package drops from the boxM, this door closes quickly and prevents the front folded end of thesecond package from being unfolded during the'operation of compressingthe tobacco in the box M. As the completed packages are forced from thebox they are received in the trough 4', and carried into any suitablereceptacle.

I propose in some instances to carrythe forming-case H entirely into thebox M, for the purpose of insuring a safe passage through the latter ofthe wrappersheets, even when no charge of tobacco has been forced intothe receiving-case. This arrangement would also enable a charge oftobacco to be conducted safely into the box M in case no wrapper-sheethad been fed to the folding devices.

. As another modification of my'invention, it may be mentioned thatplain knives or blades could-be substituted for the combs F and F in theearrying'trough; but I prefer to employ the latter, as they detach andseparate the tobacco without cutting the fibers.

.I will now proceed to describe the mechanism for printing, stamping,and cutting into appropriate lengths the sheets of paper and foil to befed to the machine as wrappers for the packages. A frame, S, is securedto the bed of the machine, at a point directly opposite the folding-bedI; and to the outer end of this frame, or to a post, P secured to thefloor, are hung two rollers, P and P the uppermost of which carries aroll of paper, and the lowermost a roll of foil. A stationary table, to,is secured to the frame S adjacent to the rolls P and P and above thistable is a roller, (See Figs. 10, 11, and 14.)

A sliding table, 1;, adapted to grooves o in the opposite sides of theframe S, has a reciprocating movement imparted to it by a cam, 16, onthe main shaft, through the medium of levers and connectingrods 19, pand 19 Fig. 11; and at the opposite sides of the front end of thissliding table are two clamps or carriers, 3 3 each composed, as shown inFigs. 15 and 16, of a clamping-piece, 3 hung to the table in a mannersimilar to a hinge, and held upon or free from contact with the table bya spring, m. Attached to the table above each clamp g is an overhangingstandard, 3 from which hangs loosely a V-shaped lever, 3 the latterbeing acted on, as hereafter described, by fixed projections, w and 20of the frame S, so as to alternately force the clamps y down to thesliding table and release the said clamps. The sliding table 1;, in itsrearward movement, extends partially beneath the table 20, and at theextremity of its forward movement reaches the line 26 26, Figs. 1 and10, passing beneath a platen, T of the form best observed in Fig. 10,and secured to the frame S. There is an opening in the table 12 of thesize of the platen, and directly beneath the latter is arranged the bedR, to which the type or engraved plate from which the impression is tobe made is aflixed. This bed has a rising-and-falling motion in guides oof the frame S, imparted to it by a cam on the main'shaft, through themediumof a lever, R and connecting-rod R (See Fig. 3.) T, Fig. 14, isthe inking-roll, moved backward and forward across the type by a slide,it, and lever t, attached to the arm 19 of the sliding table 1). Thisinking-roll is furnished with ink from a fountain, V, from which the inkis taken by a metal roll, 8, revolved by devices not shown in thedrawing, actuated by the bed R as the latter descends after giving animpression. This roll is adjustable vertically, so as to regulate thequantity of ink taken up by it. A small soft roll, .9 which has arising-and-falling motion imparted by a rod, V, transfers the ink fromthe roll 8 to the distributing-roll s and the latter, while in contactwith the roll s is rapidly revolved by means of a pulley, r, on the mainshaft, belt W, and small pulley 1. (See Fig. 3.) It is also reciprocatedlongitudinally by means of a cam. In this way the ink is evenly andthoroughly distributed upon the roll 8 and while the latter isrevolvingthe inking-rollerTis carried against it and takes up its quotaof ink. These ink- ,ing devices resemble, and-may be precisely the sameas, those in ordinary use for printing purposes. Attached to thetype-bed. R, and rising and falling with the same, is the lower cuttinga knife 0. The upper cutting knife 0 is attached to a slide, a, adaptedto and sliding in standards n secured to the frame S, and renderedadjustable on the said frame by set-screws 0 Fig. 10. The upper knife 0rises and falls by motion imparted from the bed It, a link, 0 and lever0 Figs. 12 and 14, the said knife rising high enough to permit thepassage beneath it of the standards 3 y of the sliding table 11.

The operation of the printing-press and cutters is as follows: Thesheets of paper and foil from the rollers P and P are carried forward onthe stationary table 20, the foil passing inider and the paper over theroller .00, to the position indicated by the line 25 25 in Figs. 1 and10. The ends of the sheets are then seized firmly by the clamps orcarriers 3 closed upon them by means of the projections 10 of the fixedframe S on therearward motion of the table. The sliding table is nowgiven a forward motion, passing between the cuttingknives and under theplaten T until it reaches the point indicated by the line 26 26 in Fig.10. The levers 3 of the carriers then come in contact with theprojections w thus raising the clamps and releasing the sheets, leavingthe latter in a position ready for cutting and printing. The bed R, withthe type, now rises, passing through the opening formed for it in thesliding table, and gives the desired impression to the foil. The sheetsare held firmly between the sliding table and the platen during theprinting operation, thus preventing the sheets from being disarranged oradhering to the type or plate as it falls after making the impression.As the bed R rises to print the sheets it carries up the knife 0,

while the knife 0 falls to meet it, the said knives cutting the sheetsat the same instant the impression is made. As the bed falls, the knivesseparate to permit the sliding table to return for the succeedingsheets, the said table having a transverse opening cut in it for thepassage of the knives. As soon as the printing is completed, and thesheets are cut and detached, asbefore described, and before thesliding-table retreats, the jaws or nippers c c, Fig. 1, are movedforward by the action of the cam 18 and lever t, and seize upon theprinted sheets, the jaws of the nippers being closed upon the latter bythe striking of the wedges 0 against the studs 0 of the frame S. .Thenippers, after having thus seized the sheets, are retracted, drawing thelatter across and depositing them upon the folding-bed I, as beforedescribed.

The paper revenue-stamps, now required by law to be afiixed to everypackage of tobacco, are coiled upon a roller on the frame S, as shown at27 in Fig. 11, and are passed up through a cup, 28, and over a roller,29. The cup 28 contains a dampened sponge, against which the adhesive orgummed sides of the stamps are pressed in passing; or gum may be brushedor otherwise spread upon the backs of the stamps in passing through thecup. From the roller 29 t11e stamps are delivered through proper gnidesin the stationary table 10 to the sliding table '0 and carriers y, andare carried forward to the printing-press in the same manner and at thesame time as the wrapper-sheets. The stamp is then canceled by printing,out, and detached from the roll at the same time and by the same devicesemployed to print and cut the wrapper-sheets.

The pressure applied in printing serves to make the stamp adhere fast tothe wrappersheet, so that it may be carried to the folding.

device and folded with the mapper-sheets.

- The package, after being completed, presents the appearance shown inFig. 17, the stamp being folded entirely around the package at one endof the same.

Instead of feeding in and printing the wrapper-sheets and stamps, asabove described, the foil sheets, printed and bronzed, with stamps as atpresent arranged, may be fed to the nippers c c from a table, andsingly, as in print ing-presses; or they may be picked up singly from apile by any of the ordinary and wellknown processes, or by the devicesalready shown in the Letters Patent granted to me.

If the printed foil is supplied in single sheets, the paper for theinner wrapper may be fed in from a roll and cut, as described.

It is my intention to apply, in some cases, a device for bronzing to theprinting-press beforedescribed. Y

The machine, taken as a whole, and constructed as above described, isadapted to the automatic packing of fine-cut, smoking, or chewingtobacco into metal and paper wrappers, one or both, and requires but oneattendant, whose duty it is to keep the machine supplied with the.tobacco to be packed.

The machine, however, is not confined to the packing of tobacco only, asby slight modifications it may be made to pack any other sub stance in apowdered, granulated, or finely divided state, such as tea, coffee,starch, or other article, the merchantable condition of which is aparcel or package. I

The entire machine is constructed in a compact and simple form and thepackages produced are perfect in shape, and exact, even as regards thequantity and weight of the material packed.

I claim 1. The combination of the endless band carrying-trough and-flange-box E with rollers D and D, or their equivalents, by which the;

tobacco or other material may be packed into the said carrying-trough toa uniform depth.

2. The knife or comb- F and plate I), having such a motion imparted tothem that they will convey the measured tobacco or other materialbeneath the plate I), and, returning, leave the tobacco beneath the saidplate.

3. The combination of the carryingtrough and plate b with the plunger G,having such horizontal and vertical movements imparted to it that itwill descend into the feedingtrough and force the measured tobacco frombeneath the plate I), all substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the traversing feeding-trough, plate I), andreceiver H, into which the tobacco or other material is forced by theplunger G.

5. The folding-knife m, operating substantially in the manner described,in respect to the remaining folders m m and m 6. The combination of thereceiving-box. M with the hinged door 0.

7 The combination, substantially as herein described, with a machine forpacking tobacco and other material, of a printing-press, whereby therequired impression or impressions may be imprinted on the wrappersbefore the latter are fed to the packing-machine.

8. The combination, in a packingmachine, of the packing mechanismdescribed, or its equivalent, and a machine whereby continuous strips ofpaper and foil are brought to gether, printed, out, and fed to thefolding mechanism, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. TROWBRIDGE.

Witnesses A. L. MUNSON, EDGAR CARY.

